Valve mechanism



March 24, 1959 Filed March 16, 1956 C. H. FOLMSBEE VALVE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. g/d jflbziwbee,

March 24, 1959 c. H. FOLMSBEE 2,878,329

VALVE MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. flgaeflfalmbee, BY

wag-1w United States Patent VALVE MECHANISM Clyde H. Folmsbee, Charlevoix, Mich., asslgnor to Union gank Car Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New ersey Application March 16, 1956, Serial No. 572,033

3 Claims. ((1137-5238) This invention relates to a valve mechanism, and more particularly to a valve mechanism for use on a tank and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a valve mechanism on a tank that is readily accessible and'easily operable.

It is a furthe yobject of.,the invention to provide a valve assembly that may be fastened "amine a tank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for sealing off a vent port and siphon conduit in a railway tank car, or the like. 4

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying drawing, whichillustrates one embodiment of the invention, and in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings-- v Figure l is a view in cross section taken substantially along line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention with the valve in closed position;

Figure 3 is a view in cross section taken substantially along line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view taken along line 44 of Figure 1, showing how the plugs are mounted on the crank arm;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in cross section, taken substantially along lines 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, reference number 10 indicates generally a valve assembly mounted on an adaptor 11. The adaptor is secured, as by welding, to a railway tank car 12 around an opening 13 therein. Through opening 13 and valve 10 the tank car can be filled or emptied of its contents. A base 20 of the valve assembly is mounted on the adaptor. A siphon conduit opening 21 and a vent port opening 22 in the base communicate with the adaptor. An O-ring 23, between the adaptor and base, seals against leakage. The siphon conduit 21 is threaded at its lower end to receive a siphon pipe (not shown) adapted to extend downwardly into the tank 12. A gear valve plate 25, which rests on the base, has gear teeth 31 at its periphery and two openings 32, 33. The openings in the valve plate may be brought into alignment with the siphon conduit and vent port openings in the base by rotation of the valve plate about its axis on the center pin 29. An O-ring 26 in a suitable groove in the top surface of the base 25 encompasses the siphon conduit 21. Another O-ring 27 in a suitable groove in the top surface of the valve gear encompasses the vent port 22 to prevent leakage from one to the other when the valve is being used. A similar pair of O-rings 26', 27' is provided in suitable grooves in the top surface of the valve gear plate. A third O-ring 28, retained in a suitable groove in the base encircles both openings, namely, the siphon conduit and the vent port. A similar 0- 2,878,829 Patented Mar.

" plate.

The valve gear plate is rotated by means of a pinion 36 mounted on a square portion 37 of shaft 38. The pinion engages the teeth of the gear valve, so that as the shaft is turned, the valve plate is moved.

The shaft extends through an aperture 40 in the base into a recess 41 in the adaptor and is restricted'fror'n vertical movement by a retaining ring 42. The shaft ex-. tends upwardly through an opening 43 in housing'45.

The housing 45 has two openings 46, 47, which are 10- cated directly above vent port22 and conduit 21 in the base. These openings are provided with threads at theupper ends for receiving threaded plugs. j

The adaptor 11 is provided with a plurality of threaded holes 48 in the upper surface to receive stud-bolts 49., These stud bolts pass through the holes 51in the'housing, and 51 in the base. The valve assembly ishld by stud nuts 50 on the bolts. v

A shoulder 52 depends from the housing to engage the base substantially around the periphery thereof, except at the location of the pinion. The shoulder is radially spaced from the gear plate to allow sufficient clearance for rotation. The center pin 29 extendsbetween the base and housing and is contained in recesses therein.' The valve gear plate is adapted to rotate about the center pin between the base and housing. I

The upper end of the shaft has a boss 53, tothe'upper surface of which a crank arm 54 is rigidly atta'ched. pair of threaded plugs 55 is rotatably secured to the'crank' H arm adapted to be screwed into the openings in the housing. By rotatably supporting the plugs on the crank arm,

the plugs are permittedto be unscrewed to remove them from the openings. After'removal fromfthe'openings, the plugs may then *be rotated about the crank to substantially upright position (shown intlotted lines in Figure 4), leaving the crank arm free to rotate. After the crank arm has been moved to open the valve to the dotted line position in Figure 2, the plugs cannot be reinserted into the openings in the housing. The crank arm must be returned to a position so that the valve plate is closed before the plugs can be replaced. As shown more particularly in Figure 4, the plugs are each provided with an enlarged knob 56. A holder 57 comprising a rod is wrapped horizontally around the plug below the enlarged knob and then bent vertically around the crank arm 54. In this manner the plug is rotatably mounted on the holder and also journaled on the crank arm.

A lug 62 protrudes radially from the portion of the shaft below boss 53, as most clearly shown in Figure 5. A stop 63 projects upwardly from the housing and is disposed so as to limit the rotation of the crank arm when the gear valve plate has been moved to open position by engaging the lug 62.

The valve assembly, including the housing and base with the valve gear plate therebetween, is held together as a unit by pin 66 and retaining ring 67. If the bolts 49 are loosened, the valve assembly may be removed bodily from the adaptor or the tank car.

A downwardly extending flange 69 at the outer pe, riphery of the housing encompasses the base and a POI? tion of the adaptor. The flange restricts the housing from horizontal movement in the event an excessive force is exerted upon it, and afiords protection against shearing of the stud bolts.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device should be apparent. Assuming the valve to be closed, as shown in Figure 1, the plugs are first removed from the openings in the housing and the handle rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. At this point the lug on the shaft engages the stop projecting upwardly from the housing to limit the rotation of the handle. During the counterclockwise rotation, the pinion is also rotated in the same direction, which causes the valve gear to rotate in a clockwise directiom When the: lug on the shaft engages-the stop on the housing, the openings in the gear valve willbe in alignment with the. vent. p.0rt.and.siphon.conduit openings'inthe base, so as to permit the tank to be filled or emptied, After the necessary operation, the. valve is closed by rotating the crank arm in a. clockwise directionuntil. the plugs are directly abovethe openings in the housing The plugs. are then screwed. into the threaded, openings; The valve is thereby closed and sealed.

In.the.drawingandspecification, there has been set forth a: preferred embodiment of the invention, and, althoughspecific, terms. are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and notfor. purposes, oi limitation. Changes in form and in the proportionof parts, as well asthe substitutionof equivalents. are. contemplated, as circumstances. may suggest. or render expedient, without departingfrom the spirit or scope of. this invention as further defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1.. In atdevice. ofthe character described, a valve body having a plurality of conduits, an axially mounted roe tatable. gear valve, a. shaft, a pinion on said shaft in.

engagementwith said gear valve, a crank arm connected to, said. shaft for turning said pinion, said gear valve containing a plurality of openings for alignmentwith said. conduits in. said. valve body, and plug members mounted. on said. crank arm, said plug members being inv alignment withsaid conduits when said gear valve is in. closed. position.

2. The construction. comprising, an adaptor member adaptedto communicate. with a chamber, a base member. mountedon said adaptor member, a port opening insaid. base member communicating with. said adaptor member, a conduit opening in said base. member. communicating with said adaptor member, an axially mounted gear valve having openings-for alignment with said port opening and said conduit opening, a pinion in engagement with said gear valve, means for rotating said pinion to open and close said valve, a housing member above said gear valve, sealingmeans between said base member and gear valve encircling both said port and conduit, and sealing meanssseparately. encircling said port and conduit openings.

3. The valve mechanism comprising, abase member, a port-opening in saidbase member, a conduit opening in said base member, a gear valve having openings for alignment'withsaid'port opening and said conduit opening, a pinion in engagement with said gear valve, means for rotating said' pinion to open and close said valve, a housing member above said gear valve, a pair of openings in said housing member in alignment with said port opening andsaid conduit opening, sealingmeans. between said base member and. gear valve encircling both said port and conduit openings, and sealing means between said housingmember andvgear valve encircling said pair of openingsjn saidv housing member, and sealing means separately encircling said port and conduit openings.

ReferencuCitedinthafile of'thla patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 89,299 Fenn Apr. 2 7, 1869 664,580 Pekor Dec; 25, 1900 1,092,062 Loney' Mar. 31, 1914 1,495,870 ODonnell May 27, 1924 1,623,056 Kenan Apr. 5, 1927 1,761,595" Smolensky June 3, 1930 1,828,493- Eisler Oct. 20, 1931 1,986,252 Conran Jan. 1, 1935 2,017,133 Rice Oct; 15', 1935 2,037,207 Brown Apr. 14, 1936 2,092,926 Lithgow Sept. 14, 1937 2,113,398 Dalton Apr. 5, 1938 

